192

President Roosevelt to the Appointed Ambassador to France (Leahy)

WASHINGTON, [December 20, 1940.]

My DEAR ADMIRAL LEAHY:

As Ambassador of the United States near the
French Government, you will be serving the United States at a very critical
time in the relations between the United States and France. I impose entire
confidence in your ability and judgment to meet all situations which may arise.
Nevertheless, for your general guidance I feel that I may properly outline some
of the basic principles which at present govern the relations of the United States with France.

(1) Marshal Petain occupies a unique position
both in the hearts of the French people and in the Government. Under the
existing Constitution his word is law and nothing can be done against his
opposition unless it is accomplished without his knowledge. In his decrees he
uses the royal "we" and I have gathered that he intends to rule.

Accordingly, I desire that you endeavor to
cultivate as close relations with Marshal Petain as may be possible. You should
outline to him the position of the United States in the present conflict and
you should stress our firm conviction that only by defeat of the powers now
controlling the destiny of Germany and Italy can the world live in liberty,
peace and prosperity; that civilization cannot progress with a return to totalitarianism.

I had reason to believe that Marshal Petain
was not cognizant of all of the acts of his Vice Premier and Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Monsieur Laval, in his relations with the Germans. There can
be no assurance that a similar situation will not exist with the new Foreign
Minister. Accordingly, you should endeavor to bring to Marshal Petain's attention
such acts done or contemplated in the name of France which you deem to be
inimical to the interests of the United States.

(2) I have made it abundantly clear that the
policy of this administration is to support in every way practicable those countries
which are defending themselves against aggression. In harmony with this
principle this Government is affording and will continue to afford to the
Government of Great Britain all possible assistance short of war. You may wish
from time to time to bring to the attention of Marshal Petain and members of
the Government concrete information regarding the American program to this end.

--596--

(3) I have been much perturbed by reports
indicating that resources of France are being placed at the disposal of
Germany in a measure beyond that positively required by the terms of the
armistice agreement. I have reason to believe that aside from the selfish interests
of individuals there is unrequired governmental cooperation with Germany
motivated by a belief in the inevitableness of a German victory and ultimate
benefit to France. I desire that you endeavor to inform yourself with relation
to this question and report fully regarding it.

You should endeavor to persuade Marshal
Petain, the members of his Government, and high ranking officers in the
military forces with whom you come into contact, of the conviction of this
Government that a German victory would inevitably result in the dismemberment
of the French Empire and the maintenance at most of France as a vassal state.

(4) I believe that the maintenance of the
French fleet free of German control is not only of prime importance to the
defense of this hemisphere but is also vital to the preservation of the French
Empire and the eventual restoration of French independence and autonomy.

Accordingly, from the moment we were
confronted with the imminent collapse of French resistance it has been a
cardinal principle of this administration to assure that the French fleet did
not fall into German hands and was not used in the furtherance of German aims.
I immediately informed the French Government, therefore, that should that
Government permit the French fleet to be surrendered to Germany the French
Government would permanently lose the friendship and good will of the
Government of the United States.

Since that time I have received numerous
assurances from those in control of the destiny of France that the French fleet
would under no circumstances be surrendered.

On June 18, 1940, Monsieur Paul Baudoin, then
Minister for Foreign Affairs, assured Ambassador Biddle "in the name of
the French Government in the most solemn manner that the French fleet would
never be surrendered to the enemy".

On July 1, 1940, President Le Brun, informed
Ambassador Bullitt that "France would under no conditions deliver the
fleet to Germany." On the same day Marshal Petain assured Ambassador
Bullitt that orders had been issued to every Captain of the French fleet to
sink his ship rather than to permit it to fall into German hands, and Admiral
Darlan told Ambassador Bullitt that he had "given absolute orders to the
officers of his fleet to sink immediately any ship that the Germans should
attempt to seize."

--597--

When Marshal Petain came into power as Chief
of the French State I received renewed and most solemn assurances that the
French fleet would not be surrendered to Germany. Vice Premier Laval reiterated
these assurances to Mr. Matthews on November 14 when he said that "the
French fleet will never fall into the hands of a hostile power."

On November 16 Marshal Petain, when the
subject was again raised, told Mr. Matthews: "I have given the most solemn
assurances that the French fleet, including the Jean Bart and the
Richelieu, should
never fall into Germany's hands. I have given these assurances to your
Government. I have given them to the British Government, and even to Churchill
personally. I reiterate them now. They will be used to defend French territory
and possessions. They will never be used against the British unless we are
attacked by them." And most recently Marshal Petain, in a conversation
with the present Chargé d'Affaires ad
interim, Mr. Murphy, said on December 12: "I hope your President
understands that I have kept and will continue to keep the solemn promise I
made that the French fleet will be scuttled before it is allowed to fall into
German hands."

I feel most strongly that if the French
Government after these repeated solemn assurances were to permit the use of the
French fleet in hostile operations against the British, such action would
constitute a flagrant and deliberate breach of faith to the Government of the
United States.

You will undoubtedly associate with high
officers of the French Navy. I desire, therefore, that in your relations with such
officers, as well as in your conversations with French officials, you endeavor
to convince them that to permit the use of the French fleet or naval bases, by
Germany or to attain German aims, would most certainly forfeit the friendship
and good will of the United States and result in the destruction of the French
fleet to the irreparable injury of France.

(5) You will undoubtedly be approached from numerous quarters regarding food for the French people.

There is no people on earth who have done
more than the American people in relieving the suffering of humanity. The
hearts of the American people go out to the people of France in their distress.
As you are aware we are continuing our efforts to arrange for the forwarding
through the Red Cross of medical supplies and also tinned or powdered milk for
children in the unoccupied regions of France. Nevertheless, the primary
interest of the American people, and an interest which overshadows all else at
the moment, is to see a British Victory. The American people are therefore
unwilling to take any

--598--

measure which in the slightest degree will prejudice such a victory.
Before the American people would be willing to have influence exerted upon the
British Government to permit the shipment of food through the British blockade
to France, it would be necessary that the American people be convinced beyond
peradventure that such action would not in the slightest assist Germany.

(6) In your discussions regarding the French
West Indies and French Guiana you should point out that our sole desire in that
region is to maintain the status quo and
to be assured that neither those possessions nor their resources will ever be
used to the detriment of the United States or the American republics. To
accomplish this we feel that it is essential that the naval vessels stationed
in the ports of those islands or possessions be immobilized and that we have
adequate guarantees that the gold which is at present stored in Martinique be
not used in any manner which could conceivably benefit Germany in the present
struggle.

(7) I have noticed with sympathetic interest
the efforts of France to maintain its authority in its North African
possessions and to improve their economic status. In your discussions you may
say that your Government is prepared to assist in this regard in any
appropriate way.